Liz and Loki
by Crystal Cali
Summary: For his various crimes, Loki is sentenced to life in a distant void, only able to interact with people of a nearby realm in spirit form. Elizabeth, a human girl on the run from her home, finds her way to the realm Loki's spirit wanders, and the mask which allows her to see him. What happens next is a grand adventure full of magic, love, heartbreak, and adventure!
1. Chapter 1: The Void

»This is a fanfiction based on a role play plot line I have going with a friend in Second Life. I can't tell you how often I will post chapters, but I hope people will follow and enjoy«

"And just where will I be going, father?" Loki spits the words at Odin's feet as he is held on his knees before Odin's throne by armored guards who stand perfectly still and show little interest for what is unfolding before them.

"The void." Odin answers in an unamused sort of way. "It is an empty place, one in which spirits are just barely connected to several other realms. Since it can only be opened by a limited assortment of spells, and there is not much there for you to attempt to rule, it would be the best environment for you. Until you-"

"Until I what?" Loki interrupts with impatient rage. "Until I die? Until I learn some apparent invaluable lesson that apparently I just don't get?"

"Watch your mouth, brother." Thor, who had been standing quietly beside Odin's throne, interjected. "Unless you want more trouble than what has already been placed upon you."

"I doubt there's much more trouble that can come to me, brother, but thanks you for your concern." Loki glares at Thor as he speaks, utterly repulsed by what seemed to be his brother's attempt to act like a mediator.

"You're lucky you get to keep your life, Loki. Don't push this any farther."

"Lucky? No. Lucky would have been taking my throne, on my own, despite the fact that you both are so set on keeping me from it!"

"Your throne? You are in no way fit to rule, you have no right to call the throne 'yours'."

"As I was saying," Odin interrupts, louder than before, and the two brothers fall silent. "You will be physically locked in the void, having access to only certain other realms in a spirit form. Contact with the inhabitants of these worlds will be limited, but until a mortal living in a realm in which your spirit form walks feels sympathy for your situation, and I do mean the true situation, so don't be making up any wild stories, it won't work, you will not leave the void."

Loki's eye twitches. "Last time I checked, mortal's don't see spirits, so how exactly am I to get one to notice and feel sympathy for me?"

"I'm sure you'll figure something out."

"Are you now?"

"No, but your time here is up." Odin gives a meaningful look to the two guards which were holding Loki to the floor, and they both step back as what seems to be an endless black hole opens up underneath Loki's knees. Odin stands and speaks in a commanding voice over the sound of the winds coming out of the slowly growing hole "Loki, for your crimes against Asgard and the realm known as Earth, you are hereby banished to life inside the lifeless void." and in a softer, more longing voice "I do hope this will teach you to behave, so that one day you may come back to join us."

As Loki feels the force of the void beneath him drawing his body towards the abyss, he gives Odin and Thor one last look, this time with desperation written on his face, rather than anger. Odin looks away and Thor looks impassively back as Loki sinks out of view and falls into the empty realm known as the Void.


	2. Chapter 2: Body Double

A tall cloaked woman stands off to the side of a small market, which was void of customers due to the ominous grey clouds. The cloaked woman watches the other woman at the center of the fountain, who seemed to be nervously fidgeting with the lace of the boots the wore over her brown pants. The two make eye contact for a moment, and the cloaked woman nods reassuringly before the sound of a clattering horse-drawn cart fills the silence. A few of the merchants turn curious eyes to watch the lavishly-dressed man who steps from the cart approach the black-haired woman by the fountain.

"My my, Elizabeth, it is so unlike you to be so out in open," the man mused, amused. "Have you given up on running, perhaps?"

The woman glances over to the side, to find the one in the cloak had swiftly vanished, then looked back to the man and glared wordlessly with her piercing green eyes.

"What? No snide remark? Well, this certainly does seem to be a dream. Perhaps you'll be complacent this time around. I am so tired of running, dear."

The woman flinches, but refuses to look away. Likewise, the man stared intently into the woman's eyes with an air of victory and a hunger to taste the fruits the chase had brought him.

"I am sure your father wouldn't mind if we said our vows on the ship back to England. After all, this is the… what… sixth child he's married off." he waves his hand in the air "It's not as if the ceremony matters."

The woman noticed movement behind the man, but says nothing. The man's seems to loose his train of thought as the sound of creaking and crashing sounds behind him.

"Ninth actually," someone answers from behind the man.

The man looks instantly startled, and turns slowly to see who had spoken, looking as if he must have heard a ghost. "Y-you?"

"Sorry to disappoint," the woman who had been in front of the man the entire time interjected in a cheery voice as she took a step back. "But, I am not the one ye are looking for."

"I am," the cloaked woman from before pulls down her hood and looks at the man with a sly smile. "Oh, and sorry about your carriage. I am sure my father can refund your money for that." she points behind her at what was the carriage the man had arrived in. Two of the wheels had obviously been tampered with, causing the whole thing to collapse backwards and start to warp. The horse that had been pulling the carriage was long gone.

The man stood dumbfounded by the whole situation, looking back and forth between the girls, who were practically physical reflections of each other. Both girls had long raven-black hair, which they both wore in braids that were drawn over one shoulder. Both girls had green eyes, though the one who wore the cloak had a more misty color to her eyes than the other.

"Eliza," the man finally said, holding out his arms to the one in the cloak. "Aren't you tired of running, my dear? Won't y-"

"Don't call me that!" Elizabeth, the one in the cloak, spat at the man.

"Call you what? Eliza, or my dear?"

"Both. Eliza is a name reserved for my friends, and you are nothing more than a pest to me."

"You should not speak to your fiancee with such malice, my dear."

"And if I could actually tolerate you, I might consider some form of manners."

The man smirked. "Well, well, I suppose you still have not learned your place." he spoke as he reached out and grabbed Elizabeth's hand. "No matter, there will be plenty of time to teach you that."

Elizabeth smacked his hand away, and quickly retreated to the other girl's side. "In case you haven't noticed, Charles, I have the upper hand. Your carriage is wrecked, your men are currently unavailable."

"How do you know my men aren't just around the corner?" Charles added smugly.

"Oh we're fairly certain," the girl who looked like Elizabeth replied, with a victorious grin. "They won't be here for a long time."

"And, in the mean time," Elizabeth joined back in with a sly grin on her face. "If you want to catch me, you'll have to do it yourself, on foot."

Charles lurched towards Elizabeth, and the woman turned to that all he caught was the fabric of her cloak, which she quickly untied from around her neck. The two girls took a few steps backwards, standing side-by-side again to reveal that they had not only styled their hair the same, they also wore the exact same clothes.

"Let's play a game, shall we? It's real simple, I'm sure even you could grasp it, Charles. You can only catch one of us: catch me, and you'll get out of the city with the prize you so desperately want. Catch Aurora here, and I can assure you her family won't let you out of the city with your head still attached."

"Or you could save yourself the trouble, and just come home and finally marry me, Elizabeth."

"Marry you? Ha! You slimy womanizing pig! I couldn't think of a worse suitor for any woman." Elizabeth paused and put on an mockingly-insulted look, "Honestly, I don't hate myself that much." She then grins, nods to Aurora, and then the two turned on their heels and raced off into the city. It took Charles a moment to process what was going on, but he did not loose sight of the pair as he too raced farther into the city.


	3. Chapter 3: Chase

Elizabeth and Aurora ran in sync with each other as they made their way deeper into the city, with Charles gradually closing the distance between them. Liz looks over her shoulder in time to see her fiancée recklessly turn the corner, nearly knocking over a city guard. Liz can't help but to look amused as the guard now comes to pursue Charles.

"You there!" the guard yells "In the name of the law, I order you to stop!"

"She'll get away!" Charles protests.

"Help me officer!" Liz calls from behind her. "He's trying to kidnap me!" Liz does not pause to look back, but she can hear a scuffle behind her. Aurora, who had been silently keeping up, barely had enough breath to speak up.

"You think that will keep him long enough?" the other girl asks, winded from keeping a pace faster than she was used to. Unlike Liz, who had been living on the run for many years, Aurora was much daintier. She was the city's tailor, and rarely went on long ventures that required much physical stamina. Liz slowed her pace so a steady jog, and Aurora did the same, though neither girl stopped.

"Maybe," Liz snorted. "Until he gets his pocketbook out."

"Hmm. In any case, we'll have a chance to catch up to Bentley before he gets free if we hurry."

"Aye, so let's hurry."

…

"Officer!" Charles gasped, sounding appalled at the accusations that the officer was charging him with. "I would do no such thing to my fiancée. Honestly, tis only a silly little game she plays."

"A game?" the officer, who's plain face remained impassive throughout the entire conversation.

"Yes, a game, you see, my Eliza loves to explore. She loves a chase, the feeling of someone pursuing her. She is adventurous, and always just a little more so once I capture her, if you know what I mean." Charles winks.

The guard raises an eyebrow for a moment, but then a wicked grin crosses his face as the implication of the statement sinks in. "Ah, if only I could find a woman with such vigor."

Charles beams, though more with pride that he had managed to convince the guard of his poorly thought out story. It seemed the rich man had found a kindred spirit in the guard. An unknown male voice nearby scoffs, but when Charles and the guard turned the corner to see who was spying on them, no one was there. They spend only a moment looking down the empty street before looking back at each other.

The guard bows. "Well, Sir Charles, I shall leave you and your fiancée to your game. When you catch her, though, be sure to advise her not to get officers of the law involved in her schemes. Not everyone can understand an adventurous heart like hers."

Charles bows back to the man, "I certainly will. Safe paths to you sir," he says, and then runs off in the direction Elizabeth and Aurora had went. Charles ran hastily until he made his way to an intersection, which was more alive than the rest of the town. Commoners leisurely made their way back and forth as Charles scanned the area for any sign of the woman he was after.

Sure enough, she was there, leaning against a wall in the shadows. He saw just enough of her figure to recognize the woman, though she was now alone. It was a gamble. Just which woman was he looking at? Charles did not think on the thought for too long though, and raced after the woman, who quickly caught sight of him and ran towards the ocean.

The winding streets were difficult to navigate, even though the crowds were thin. The woman, weather it be Liz or Aurora, seemed to know just where all of the hidden side streets were. After turning left, left again, right, left, and right twice, Charles was almost certain they had gone full circle, though the walls of the buildings all looked so familiar that there was no decisive way to tell.

Much to Charles's surprise, the woman quickly led him out to a more open area of city, on a path leading straight for the docs. As Charles realized this was the plan of escape, he sped up. Charles was not particularly a tall man, nor was he particularly fit, so seeing a man of his stature running as fast as he did would have been an interesting sight to see. A few sailors who were lounging around the docs would pause to watch, some getting a kick out of the show and busting into laughter. This seemed to cause Charles to be even more on edge.

"You won't get away this time, Elizabeth!" he shouted as he closed the gap between him and the woman he chased, reaching out to grab her by the long black braid which had become strung behind her.

"Ah!" the woman cries as she is caught.

Charles is instantly stunned at the sound of her voice.

The woman turns, as best she can, and says through her panting "You loose."

Charles takes a step back, almost in shock.

"Do you really think Eliza would have just stopped to wait for you?" Aurora challenges as she regains her composure.

"It's all a game, of course she would know to wait."

"A game?"

Charles grimaces, though turns the expression into a crooked smile soon enough.

Aurora frowns.

"You wouldn't understand. You have never been more than what you are, but if you were nobility, you would understand the true place of a woman."

Aurora scoffs. "Oh? And just what would that be?"

Charles holds his arm out to the side, making a dramatic bowing motion. "On the arm of a man. A woman, especially in noble society, is only born to please the men who serve over her." he grins "I'll admit, the chase has been fun, and I do love being kept on my toes, but I am ready to taste victory now."

Aurora clenches her fists, and glares at the man in front of her. "You _are_ a womanizing pig, but oh well, you are too late." Aurora turned on her heels and started to walk off before elaborating further by calling over her shoulder and calling "Elizabeth will be in a world beyond your reach by sunrise tomorrow. You'll never be able to catch up to her. You'll never see her again."


	4. Chapter 4: LathCoia

The sea was calm; the winds were cool, and Bentley Rider's Coralia was quickly putting distance between itself and the mainland in England. Elizabeth sat idle, as she watched the crewmen work away on deck. She looked over to Bentley, Aurora's older brother, who quite honestly looked a lot like both of the girls, aside from the rather muscular stature, and opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted with a sly grin.

"You don't have to do anything, Miss Elizabeth," he says gently, with a warm smile that spread to his eyes.

"Well, I feel a bit useless just sitting here," Liz complained.

"Don't worry about it. You're our guest, remember?"

"Ha! Can't remember the last time I was anyone's welcomed guest."

Bentley laughed, "On the run for that long, eh?"

"Nearly seven years now. Why Charles kept up the chase for so long is astounding to me. What the hell did my father offer him that was worth seven years of running?"

Bentley shrugged. "I heard him speaking with an officer on the street when I was trailing behind you and my sister. He sounded rather thrilled by the whole ordeal."

Liz grimaced.

"But, why a man would chase a woman for seven years with no hint of a reward is baffling to me."

There was a long pause, as Liz now looked out over the ocean, and watched the waves lap up around the boat. There was a cool breeze coming from the west, which pushed the sails eastward. After a while, Liz sighed, and Bentley thought she was going to speak again, but she only kept her gaze on the waves. Eventually, Bentley turned back to his work, leaving Liz to her thoughts.

The ship continued to sail through the night, and into the early morning before it dropped anchor just off shore of a remote island. Bentley took two of his crewman with him and Elizabeth on a small boat, which they rowed into the mouth of a large canyon. The water within the canyon quickly became shallow, and the four on the boat were forced to leave the boat wedged between two rocks and climb the rest of the way.

"Really bloody glad I didn't wear a dress," Liz commented under her breath as she carefully made her way across the rocks, though the narrow canyon was able to pick up even the slightest whisper and make it as clear as day.

Bentley laughed, a booming laugh that echoed loudly through the canyon. The group made their way to a point in which the land flattened out, and the walls of the canyon became somewhat smoother. On each of the walls, carved into the somewhat-smooth surface, were identical rune circles with rings of odd-looking text Liz was unable to read.

"Just what language is that?" Liz wondered aloud.

"Elven," Bentley responded.

"What?"

"Elven."

Liz paused a long moment, just staring at Bentley with a questioning look.

"What?" Bentley grinned.

"Elves don't exist. How could they have a language?"

Bentley chuckled. "Oh, they exist, but I won't argue with that here, you'll see soon enough."

"Eh?"

"Time to go, boys." Bentley addressed the crewmen who were each standing on opposite side of the narrow canyon. Each man put one of his hands in the center of each of the rune circles on either side of the canyon. Liz seemed utterly confused, and was about to ask why they were stopping in the middle of the canyon when there was clearly a beach on the other side, but as she was about to speak, the beach ahead of her suddenly was replaced by the image of a busy Asian village, and a small doc with a group of three Asian men seemingly striking some sort of business deal.

"Alright, I'll admit, that is unique." Liz commented, not taking her eyes off the three men, who then turned to face them and started to wave.

"Konichiwa, Bentley-san!" one called.

"Konichiwa!" Bentley called back.

Liz started backwards. "Bloody hell!"

Bentley chuckled, "I did say I would take you to a place Charles couldn't find you, didn't I?"

"Aye, but I thought you meant an island somewhere, this is bloody mad!"

"By all definitions, Ryukyu is an island, just not one in our realm. Even if Charles were to find the entrance to this place," Bentley paused and gestured back to the two men behind them who had their hands on the walls of the canyon, "There's not much of a chance of him figuring out how to get through successfully. It looks easy, but opening this portal is a rather specific and tricky process."

"You've just done it so many times, ye know what ye are doing then?"

"Aye, we are trained processionals!" Bentley proclaimed, and then filled the canyon with laughter again as he gently ushered Liz through the portal to Ryukyu.

…

As the city of Ryukyu bustled with life, a lonely unseen spirit watched from across the water, sitting on top of a tree in what was known as the Iva'ian Forest. Loki, who had been wandering about for five thousand years as a spirit, had long since given up on finding a mortal to help him retrieve his body from the void where it was trapped, motionless and lifeless within the empty space between realms.

In his five thousand years of wandering, he was able to learn just what the void was. It was not a realm as Odin had thought, but a small empty space, which wove it's way between a set of realms, which were positioned around a central realm, which was the realm of Touryuumon, the place where the village of Ryukyu was built. The magic that surrounded and protected the realm of Touryuumon also was able to create a gateway to link its village with the realm of LathCoia, where the Iva'ian forest, the city of LionsClau, and the barren lands of WebsDusk resided. Loki, for a while, roamed these lands in spirit form, trying to get the attention of any mortal who he thought he might be able to convince to help him out of the void.

He had little luck in getting anyone's attention, and the most his attempts really did was create a legend of a ghost which roamed around LathCoia, and was seemingly not attracted to the Spirit Tree in Touryuumon, which was the home to any spirit that died in the realm. As amusing as Loki sometimes found this, he was growing tired of making an effort to be seen with no reward, so he sat high up in a tree of the forest, and watched the people of Ryukyu, and he found that the more he watched, the more he saw the benefits of the humans way of life: family, friends, love, and a simple way of living. The more Loki watched, the more appealing the simple way of life became to him, and the less he desired the revenge he had fought so earnestly for.

"If only I could be seen," Loki sighed, "then perhaps I could join them as one of them."


End file.
